Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says he thinks President Trump is “trolling” former intelligence chiefs by threatening to take away their security clearances. Ryan told reporters: “I think he’s trolling people honestly.” He then elaborated: “This is something that is in the purview of the executive branch. I think some of these people have lost their clearance already; some people keep their clearances.” Watch Ryan handle the question:http://bit.ly/2ND85rJ

Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage, Democrats are scratching their heads wondering how President Trump’s poll numbers are basically unchanged since his controversial press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. How Democrats hope to overcome that in November and in 2020:http://bit.ly/2mGwktm

RECORD-HIGH POLL FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP: A new Gallup poll shows that President Trump’s approval average is the highest since he took office. Approval from April through July: 41.9 percent. http://bit.ly/2Od8an1

AND ANOTHER RECORD-HIGH POLL FOR THE PRESIDENT: An NBC News–Wall Street Journal poll shows President Trump’s approval has risen to 45 percent, his all-time high. http://bit.ly/2mGwktm

HOW DEMOCRATS EXPLAIN TRUMP’S RESILIENCY: “The strength of the economy; his voters’ tendency to discount negative press coverage as a product of the ‘fake news media’; and the visceral connection he enjoys with his base, partly because of his willingness to press cultural hot buttons relating to race, immigration and related issues.” http://bit.ly/2mGwktm

JUST NOW -- TRUMP THINKS RUSSIA WILL HELP THE DEMS: The president just tweeted, "I'm very concerned that Russia will be fighting very hard to have an impact on the upcoming Election. Based on the fact that no President has been tougher on Russia than me, they will be pushing very hard for the Democrats. They definitely don't want Trump!" Yeah, but: Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stood next to Trump and told reporters he wanted Trump to win the 2016 election. http://bit.ly/2JQyOyO

#MADEINAMERICA

Trump: ‘Tariffs are the greatest!’

It’s not that I’m mad this tweet wasn’t in all-caps, it’s just that I’m disappointed:

This morning, President Trump defended his actions on trade, tweeting, “All will be Great!” He also criticized other countries for treating the United States like a “‘piggy bank' that's being robbed." http://bit.ly/2OeYng7

Full tweets: "Countries that have treated us unfairly on trade for years are all coming to Washington to negotiate. This should have taken place many years ago but, as the saying goes, better late than never! Tariffs are the greatest! Either a country which has treated the United States unfairly on Trade negotiates a fair deal, or it gets hit with Tariffs. It’s as simple as that - and everybody’s talking! Remember, we are the 'piggy bank' that’s being robbed. All will be Great!" http://bit.ly/2uL71Lk

This kind of irony makes my job easy:

Via Syracuse.com, the White House used silverware that was made in China during its annual Made in America Product Showcase yesterday. The brand: Oneida Ltd. flatware, which is made overseas. Photo:http://bit.ly/2LlV3Cj

IN OTHER NEWS

Released today — just think of this book as an artistic representation, not a textbook:

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer released his memoir today. In The Wall Street Journal, ABC’s Jonathan Karl wrote a scathing review of the book. The $$ line of Karl’s review: “Mr. Spicer’s book is much like his tenure as press secretary: short, littered with inaccuracies and offering up one consistent theme: Mr. Trump can do no wrong.” Karl’s full review: https://on.wsj.com/2LB3Yz4

Have $250 burning a hole in your pocket?: You can attend Spicer’s book party. Why this is unusual: Book parties are usually for friends, not for paid guests. That’s not all!: Spicer is also hosting a few other ticketed book events. Details from The New York Times:https://nyti.ms/2Lgis7Y

A federal judge agreed to delay the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort until July 31. Why the delay: Manafort’s lawyers say they need more time to go through the 120,000 pages of documents recently provided by the prosecution. http://bit.ly/2JRP3vh

12:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump speaks at theVeterans of Foreign Wars of the United States National Convention in Kansas City, Mo.

2:30 p.m. EDT: “Former Governor John Engler, the interim president of Michigan State University, U.S. Olympic Committee Acting CEO Susanne Lyons, and USA Gymnastics President and CEO Kerry Perry testify at a hearing on protecting athletes from abuse.” Livestream:https://cs.pn/2v0swah